Loom picker



arch 29, 1932. H. M. BAcoN 3,851,232

LOOM PICKER Filed July 3l. 1931 en?? M. woffz.

Patented 29, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY'MILES BACON,-0F DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GATES RUBBER COM.'- PANY, 0F DENVER, COLORADO, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO LOOM PICKER Application med J'uly 81,

for throwing the shuttle back and forth through the shed formed by the warp. The

shuttle is operated by means of picker sticks,

one being located on each side of the fabric.V The picker sticks are moved by suitable cams and are provided with pickers that serve to stop the shuttle and to reverse its direction of travel.

Since the shuttle is reciprocated at a high rate and travels at high speed the pickers are subjected to severe strains that make them Wear out quickly unless they are made of such material and constructed in such a way that they can withstand the constant pounding to which they are subjected.

Itis the object of this inventionto produce a method by means of which a picker can be constructed from rubberized fabric in such a way that anarticle will be produced which will be slightly resilient and highly resistant to wear.

In order to describe the invention so that its construction will be readily understood references will be had to the accompanying drawings in which the article has been illustrated in such a way that the method of making the same will be clearly apparent and in which:

Fi l is a section of a loom picker, showing t e same in place on the upper end of the picker stick;

Fig. 2 is the perspective view showing a core about which a plurality of layers of rubberized fabric have been wound;

Fig. 3 is aesection throu h the core showing the covering of rubberize fabric in end elevation and "also showing an end elevation of a plurality of strips attached to one side of the core;

Fig. k4 is an end view, similar to that shown in Fig. 3 in which the parts shown in Fig. 3 have been shown as wrapped in a layer of rubberized fabric and also in a cotton cover;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6 6, Fig. 5 and 5o Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the pick- 1931. Serial No. 554.175.

er assemblies with parts broken away to better disclose the construction.

In the drawings reference numeral l represents a picker stick, such as have been referred to in the foregoing parts of this specification, and numeral 2 designates the loom picker that is shown in place on the upper end of the stick and which in Fig. 1 has been shown in section. Numeral 3 represents a portion of a shuttle showing same in the position it occupies when it comes into contact with the loom picker.

The loom picker is constructed in the following manner: A core 4 is provided; this core may be made of steel or any other suitable material and has a cross-sectional shape and size corresponding to the shape and size of the picker stick. The ends of the core, which have been designated by reference numeral 5, are somewhat thinner, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. The first step in the method of making this article is to wrap a plurality of layers of rubberized fabric about the core. The rubberized fabric on the core has been designated by reference numeral 6 and preferably comprises three complete turns, so that the core is surrounded on all sides by three layers of fabric. After theI fabric has been Wrapped about the core, a plurality of long, narrow strips of rubberized fabric like those indicated by reference nu meral 7 are laid along one side of the core in superimposed relation, in the manner shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Two or more layers of rubberized fabric 8 are placed over the top and sides of the strips so as to cover the edges in the mannershown in Fig. 3. After the cover 8` has been put in place, the core kassembly and the strips are then enclosed in two or more thicknesses of rubberized fabric which have been designated by reference numeral 9. Surrounding the layers 9 is a layer 10 of heavy canvas which is not rubberized. After the several parts have been assembled in the manner just described the core and attached parts, as shown in Fig. 4, are placed in a mold 11.. This mold is provided with a plurality of openings 12 that are separated from each other by metal portions 13. The ends 5 of the core extend into slots 14 in the ends of openings 12 and serve to hold the core su port in the opening. The height of the pic er assembly 1s preferably somewhat reater than the thickness of the mold and a ter the picker assemblies have been put in place in the mold the mold is put on the upper surface of a steam heated table 15 that may form the base member of a press. The upper or movable member of this press has been indicated by reference numeral 16, and this is also provided with a central opening 17 for the reception of steam. Unless it is desired to provide indentations in one side of the picker, the top member 16 can be brought directly into contact with the picker assemblies and when pressure is applied the picker assemblies Will be compressed until they fill the openings 12 of the mold. After the parts have been compressed, they are retained in compressed condition until they have been properly cured by the action of the heat.

It is sometimes found desirable to mold the conical depressions 18 at the time that the pickers are vulcanized and when this is to be done it is preferable to provide a plate 19 having the plurality of conical projections 20. These projections are equally spaced apart in one direction, the distance between the centers ofthe slots or openings 12, and in the other direction a distance a, as shown in Fig. 7 The distance al represents the width of one of the pickers after the same have been cut from the elongated member that is formed in the mold. In Fig. 7 the elongated picker has been shown as divided into several sections by means of dotted lines, and one of these has been separated from the rest and is shown at the right hand end of the figure. By making the length of the pick er assembly a multiple of the lengths of each icker it is possible to cut the picker assemly into any desired number of pickers, aft-er it has been molded and vulcanized. In Fig. 7 reference numeral 21 indicates the opening in which core 4 was located during th-e construction and the vulcanization of the picker assembly. Owing to the fact that the picker arm moves about a pivot, it is desirable to have one end of each picker inclined, as indicated by reference numeral 22.

The pickers are arranged on the picker stick in such a Way that the side that is formed by the 'strip 7 is on the side of the picker stick adjacent to the fabric and is, therefore, the side that is engaged by the shuttle as the latter is reciprocated through the Warp shed of the fabric While the latter is being woven. The conical depression 18 is so shaped and located that it will be in a position to receive the end of the shuttle, as

shown in Fig. 1.

The fact that the side of the picker that is enclosed by the shuttle is formed by parallel strips of rubberized fabric gives the picker an exceptionally long life, because the transverse arrangement of the warp and.

Woof of the fabric provides a structure that is highly resistant to wear especially when rubberized and vulcanized in the manner above described.

The outer cotton cover 10 may be dispensed with if not desired. It can'also be retained and when retained adds to the strength and life of the picker.

The first step of making the picker assembly consists in Wrapping rubberized fabric about the core and at the end of this step the parts have the appearance shown in Fig. 2. The second step consists in placing along one side of the core a plurality of strips 7 that are parallel to each other and then enclosing the edges 0f these by means of rubberized fabric covers 8. The third step consists in vadding the layers of rubberized fabric 9 and if desired the cotton cover 10. The fourth step of the method consists in placing the assembly, shown in Fig. 4, in a mold of the proper size and shape while the fifth step consists in subjecting the core assemblies to pressure and to heat of sufficient intensity to cure the rubber composition with Which the rubberized fabric is or has been treated.

From the above description it Will be seen that by making loom pickers in the manner above described an article is obtained that is especially Well adapted for the purpose for which it is intended and which has sufficient resiliency to prevent undue strains due to the sudden stoppage and starting of the shuttle and which also has exceptional wearing qualities due to the cross arrangement of the iiberous strands of the fabric and due to the further fact that the fabric has been impregnated with a rubber compound that in itself has superior Wearing qualities.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The method of making a loom picker which comprises, Wrapping a plurality of layers of rubberized fabric about a core, placing a plurality of superposed layers of rubberized fabric along one side of the core Wrapping, enclosing the core Wrapping and superposed layers of fabric by a plurality lof layers of rubberized fabric, placing the assembly in a suitable mold and then subjecting it to pressure and heat until properly cured.

2. The method of making a loom picker which consists in wrapping a plurality of layers of rubberized fabric about a core, placing a plurality of superposed rubberized fabric strips of a width substantially the same as that of the core along one side of the core Wrapping, enclosing three sides of the assembly of strips in a covering of rubberized fabric, wrapping the core wrapping and superposed strip assembly in a plurality of layers of rubberized fabric, placing the assembly in a suitable mold and subjecting it to pressure and heat until cured.

3. A loom picker comprising a tubular portion formed from a plurality of la ers of 6 rubberized fabric, a plurality of rub erized strips secured to one side of the tubular or- Ation and a plurality of layers of rubberlzed fabric enclosing the tubular portion and the strips, the inner layer of the rubberized I fabric contacting with three sides of the tubular member and one side and the edges of the rubberized strips for holding the strips and the tubular member in assembled relation, the assembly being vulcanized. In testimony whereof I affix my signature. HENRY MILES BACON. 

